Minn. officials revive touchy drug patrol program

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota’s public safety commissioner says she’s reinstating training for law enforcers on how to better spot drug users because she’s confident in changes aimed at resolving controversy related to the program.

The Department of Public Safety announced Friday that from now on, field training for drug evaluators will occur not in Minnesota but through a California Highway Patrol program that certifies officers from around the country. Public Safety Commissioner Mona Dohman (DOE’-man) suspended Minnesota’s training program last year after claims that officers gave people illegal drugs and incentives to participate.

State Patrol Col. Kevin Daly says sending officers to California means fewer can be trained but that the training will be more thorough. Minnesota’s program had been the subject of a federal civil lawsuit but Daly says the State Patrol and Department of Public Safety are no longer defendants.